Michigan unemployment up again

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates rose over the month in 14 of Michigan’s 17 major labor market areas, according to the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth.

The state has a seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate of 13.7 percent, the highest in the nation.

In May, total employment levels increased seasonally in the majority of regions, while labor force levels were up in nearly all areas.

“Due to the ongoing weakness in the national economy, the tens of thousands of individuals who normally enter Michigan’s labor market in May seeking seasonal employment found fewer opportunities,” said Rick Waclawek, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives in a statement released to the media. “Although many did obtain jobs, it was less than typically expected. This situation pushed unemployment rates upward in the southern part of the state.”

The region with the highest unadjusted jobless rate in May was 16.5 percent in the Flint area, where the April rate was 14.2 percent. The lowest rate was in Ann Arbor, where the rate rose from 7.8 percent in April to 9.1 percent in May. In the city of Muskegon, the adjusted rate is 20 percent.